moan called perahsar, a solemif ànd .geaeralîconfîôurse.|tfdcç&|jlacë
to ! ctlxii^aflai^ • tel igious s oon s the; ■ island. | s Eyeryaonev that
vtl|efestival betakes lïimselfjitcL.sbme,xpagoda «pn. ©thçifo
these Jaèts; Qtliw’qrkljdp,
and with ! the iusual. indifference idf o;the tfie^dnese: ffojbjehgfoiM
mattg#s;i %heff. ; iw ffsinte^fesffedxqmany, jkeqpdajVay
fi?0tof ^ete^l^îri«ev3 AtstCaridyv fins .fèstivab;ia')^l;ehràtéd::\\âtb
gÉetfi poihpiMafïdïis afetètefodilby thg Ki®gr|nq’ÿ^|9)teiSce4TOTï
paèied ydth ait theiSplendodr/ o£ bis ÿçp^t2»3tj jsjidft this occa-
sion th a t -hé-'-Makesvhjb priittd^lpfférâîgfitàqtheidfôti^s,, land.
, bis-peopli^ in thêif acte afcidevotioM ,
£ I n November, when * the ymopmdi^satJEùlk There is.ahothei-
festival, which is celebrated in .t|iei;hight-time. I t is *çu§t<Jnir
Siÿ ^ c a sio n J for the ' pieopléito» màke^oi^fi'butioi^jqGf
oihfor -lighting ttp :théÏE temples, fduringi! the continuance - of jthe
festival. J
; -These -fcsiivails are conducted5iwifli much more ; solemnity and
éûïeiidoar in ttie dominions .ofjqCaédy .thaii .amongst; dffo.jÇitH
ÿ ls e of th é ; çOaSt. * The i festivals aie xoiMaeroiiÂp'.-ip
âmdüritïhg to forty-eight. E fÜhey ace held, on^the >:8th,, 15th,
23ëi: and 30th dàÿsmf each lunar month, or rather ;atfi-tfcpi;«ew
add full moOftff and lfir®t^and[last quartets «fi fes#) month, j ;
É£ The festivals in honour, of tBuddou a$è ;hbt held in; the tea^ptesi
wherë'K#^ usuallyworShippedL *but;.at a; high ;hifl and a conse-
crated tree. The mountain, called Hammalleel, or Adam’s Peak,,
is-' one.s of- the highest in Geylo®,; and lies at the distancé |bf
about fifty ihilfes* to thé'.‘BortE-eàstL:of.-Golumbô. --.It is from the
#m m it eff-this mountain,1 as tradition' r^# rts,ttH àt jAdamitopk.:
his last viewf of Paradise «bèfore* hei quitted-' Ë1 I. nêÿéiridé return.
Thè ép4tiônv.iii'fe^i1 iïub''i®&t stood-iat the-moment i is .‘still sup-
;posed to -he dfoimd^ *iri-;:an twpreMoh-Ilh"^ ’fife. 'hlmfoitv- of' the
mountain ^resembling fH e -p rin t^© ^ Man’s moi-q - than
' double the I ordinary size. .After taking this fare^JI the
fether of mankind' is'. said to have gone over to the continent
° f India, which was at that time joined to the island; but no
• sooner had he passed Adam’s Bridge, than the , sea: closed i . -
•hind him and cut off. all hopes of return. This ||§ d 4 id®%^Mn
' jwha,ytfel- isefede it interwith
.’their ?eaidieft<inoti4ji^'hfeiyir^ ’osi, addftifeis^diffidtdt'
to^1 'cotieeivC> that- it4d§uM; havd? beeJ^tengraliiilfjf tHdnf "wi#-
•out foBHling an lorngidal pact. . I h&wi'f%|<u(mtly .had ijtfie- ,c;uri-
?dsi|y to ’ enquireiof' black men of differenlf\e%ts condoning} this
tradition*off Adam. All of them witbrfeverp* appearance ©fbibb-
lief assured -'me- that1 d t^ ^ a stf& lly irti'ue, > add? id support qbf i t '
tproduce'd'a variety^offj'tfetimpmes^^ld payings and prophecies
which have-for/ages been current j amongr themi The origin of
these^ttahdtiipiis I do .’h o t ;pretend; to.->-itta(feI-' f’hufc fheir conneb-
'tiSTitf with- SteMpturah histdfy is very? evident; and they-'afford a
new ih&fcariee how universally the opinions ■ with respect to the
origin o f man coincide with the histoiy of that event as recorded’
in'fhehbiblOj^
A large chain, saidi4lso td !be:the. workmanship of Adam, is
feed iffv*afrock near the summit of th e mountain. I t has the
appearance of'having been placed* th e re a t a ^ e ry distant period;
but Who really placed it there] ’ or. for what purpose^ iffas im-
possible for any European; to* trace amidst the confiisfed and' unintelligible
Superstitions which' the native^ have mingled with
their obscure traditiohllffe
' The ascent of the mountain is exceedingly steep and difficult,
and in some parts near the summit th e • devotees are Obliged
G o